"...IT PLEASED THE LORD TO BRUISE HIM..."
When the prophet says, "It pleased the Lord to bruise
him", he does not mean for us to understand that God found a reason for
laughter in the agonies of his Son. God did not take delight and joy in
punishing his Son. The text might be read like this, "IT
GAVE SATISFACTION TO THE LORD TO BRUISE HIM". The Lord himself tells us, "I have no pleasure in the
death of the wicked." In doing so, he is telling us that his wrath and
justice can never be satisfied by the death of the wicked. That is the reason
why hell is eternal. Men can never satisfy the infinite wrath and justice of
God. The torments of the damned in hell can never give God pleasure and
satisfaction. But when God bruised his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as our
Substitute, crushing him beneath the terrible load of our sins, he was pleased
with the death of his Son. The sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, pouring out
his life's blood unto death, made an infinite satisfaction to the wrath and
justice of God. God, in his infinite holiness and justice could not require
more than Christ offered, and he could not be satisfied with less than Christ
offered, for the ransom of our souls.
Surely the prophet also means for us to understand that GOD
IS PLEASED WITH THE SURE RESULTS OF HIS SON'S DEATH. The Lord God was pleased to "make his soul an
offering for sin", because he saw more his soul an offering for sin",
than the blood of his Son being poured out at Calvary. He saw
more than the agony, and the groans, and the ignominious shame that his Son
endured. He saw that as a result of his Son's great sacrifice, he would
"justify many". He saw all the host of his elect standing around his
throne, shouting and singing the praises of his Son, throughout the endless
ages of eternity. This was "the joy" which was set before our Savior,
for which he "endured the cross, despising the shame". In order to
save us, "to the praise of the glory of his grace", "It pleased
the Lord to bruise him."